The invention disclosed herein relates generally to a kit comprising a tool element and screw. More specifically, preferred embodiments of the disclosed invention relate to a tool element for facilitating driving of a screw and a screwdriver, ratchet or power tool comprising the tool element. Preferred embodiments of the kit also include a screw for mating engagement with the tool element. Additional embodiments of the invention are also contemplated and disclosed.
Screws are one of the most widely used fastener devices and can be used for wood applications, machine applications and other uses. Varying embodiments of screws have flat heads, oval head, pan heads or round head. Traditional screwdriver systems comprise slotted drivers, Phillips drivers, square drivers, allen drivers and tormex drivers and are driven with fully-manually actionable drive means, ratchet drive means or electrically powered drive means (e.g. a power drill). Unfortunately, the slots in these screws provide a difficult base to keep the driver stable, resulting in slippage and resulting screw head damage. Power drivers have traditionally had even more instability, due to their higher rotational forces. Often this slippage, which causes inefficiency in task completion, also causes cosmetic damage to the screw, especially in solid brass fine woodworking, and screws for hardware.
Attempts have been made to improve on conventional screw and driver design, however such attempts have failed to account for a multitude of important factors. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,891,017 (“Iskra”) shows a square drive, but Iskra is a design that requires a unique screw that will not have compatibility with conventional screwdrivers and other conventional tool elements. For example, the torque provided by the driver in Iskra is minimal due to its use of a square driver.
There is a need for a relatively low cost screwdriver and/or screw system that will permit the user to apply only rotational force and simultaneously reliably retain contact between the driver and the screw head. Overcoming the disadvantages present in the prior art, preferred embodiments of the invention disclosed herein utilizes unique drive structures to increase needed torque and decrease harmful slippage.